CMS will provide an hour-long webinar titled “Data.Medicare.Gov: Get Started!” at 1pm EDT on Thursday May 16, 2013. Effective July 2013, www.Data.Medicare.Gov will be the platform for downloadable data from the Medicare.gov Compare websites (Dialysis Facility Compare, Home Health Compare, Hospital Compare, and Nursing Home Compare).

The webinar will provide an introduction to Data.Medicare.Gov, demonstrate options for accessing the data, and describe how to make use of the site’s tools for exploring and interacting with the data. The webinar is appropriate for both technical and non-technical users of Compare website data – for example, researchers, health care administrators, and quality improvement professionals.

WEBINAR REGISTRATION INFORMATION: In order to receive log-in information, you must register for the webinar though the following link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/vutakpmjxr7j. Participants are strongly encouraged to register early because space is limited, and to dial in 10 minutes early to ensure that you are able to connect and view the presentation.

If you are unable to attend on May 16, you can view a video of the webinar in the Help section of http://www.data.medicare.gov following the event, or you can visit http://www.data.medicare.gov any time and click the Help button to find a variety of useful videos and resources to help you use the site.

The Quarterly Dialysis Facility Compare (QDFC) Preview for July Reports will be updated with the measures as shown in the Preview table found on page two of the QDFC – Preview for July Report on July 18, 2013. The preview period dates are

Released/Refreshed on DFC

Preview Period

April 18, 2013

February 01-15, 2013

July 18, 2013

May 01-15, 2013

October 10, 2013

July 15-August 15, 2013

04/12/2013: Facilities with an active user account on http://www.DialysisReports.org were notified of this Report release and preview period schedule. Arbor/UM-KECC distributed master account (MAH) credentials via US mail to any new facilities included in the prior MAH update.

Beginning 05/01/2013: The QDFC – Preview for July 2013Report will be available to Networks and facilities on the secure website, http://www.DialysisReports.org. Facilities are able to preview reports and submit DFC comments May 1, 2013 (12:01 AM, ET) through May 15, 2013 (5:00 PM, ET).

Facilities may submit comments to CMS about DFC measures during the preview period. All comments and inquiries and questions must be submitted via http://www.DialysisReports.org. Only authenticated users who have been granted permission by their MAHs to submit DFC comments will be able to perform this action.

Please note that the master account is a facility-level account, and this is the primary contact information for the MAH. It is the MAH’s responsibility to update contact information and pass credentials on within your facility appropriately. If credentials are passed on within your facility to a new MAH, credentials will not be reset. Please notify your Network using the form at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/IM/DFR.MAH.ChangeRequest.pdf and update the contact information on http://www.DialysisReports.org to reflect a new contact person.

A recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reviewed pneumococcal pneumonia vaccines. We’ve put a link to that MMWR on the QI page of the Network website, at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/QI/QI.htm#imm , and included links to the Vaccine Information Statements for the PPSV23 and PCV13 vaccines, and to standing orders for these vaccines from the Immunization Action Coalition.

To take advantage of the online version of the Explore Transplant workshop and its CEUs, you must register before the end of April. The program includes four one-hour modules that cover motivating patients toward positive health behaviors, and the benefits and risks of transplant and donation. Attending providers will be mailed videos and printed material in English and Spanish that they can share with their patients. The program includes 4.5 hours of free CE credits for RNs, PCTs, and MSWs. For details and registration instructions see http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/ExpTransplant.pdf.